11 October, 2011

VO sells a lot of fenders and gets a lot of questions about installing them. We've updated the fender instructions, both the paper and on-line versions.

It's pumpkin season again. Get one that fits in your porteur rack.

We'll have these great looking new Dia Compe ENE micro-ratchet shifters in stock in a few months. They will be available in both bar-end and downtube version. We think they are the nicest shifters produced today.

I ran into Chuck from Velo-Retro at Interbike. His company offers reprints of old bike catalogs as well as some cool t-shirts, and musettes. Worth a visit.

Those shifters are very swank. Besides the classic lever forging, are they mechanically any different from the 'Silver' shifters we've all seen? The Silvers, and the Suntour Sprints they mimic, are both spectacular. I'd expect these would be equal to those, and can't really think of a way they could be superior, except in appearance.

The shifters are made by Dia Compe using the same internals as the Silver shifters. They have a better compression washer, the Silver's weak point. But I think all Dia Compe-made shifters will get the new washer.

At a meeting with the president of Dia Compe two years ago I suggested that they make a more classic style shifter. He told me that he'd been thinking along the same lines, and here we are. I really do like the look of these.

If an improved compression wahser for the Silver shifters is in the works, will it be available as a spare part? I am happy with my Silvers, but already had to replace one set of washers. the replacements are holding up so far, but if there is going to be a more definitive version, I'd like to get them.

There are replacements for the washers at the VO store already. Are you saying that there will be new ones that will be an improvement over the ones already for sale? If so, how will I know when the improved ones are available?

Seems like the DiaCompe/Silver shifters are taking off. VO will have the fancy handle version. Rivendell has just listed a short handle version for thumb shifter use. The long, plain handle original is still with us. Mounts for bar-end, down-tube, and a couple of choices in thumb-shift are available.

My only gripe with the original Silver shifters is that the shifter lever is a touch too long for my taste. I frequently nudge it accidentally with my thigh - especially at stops, red lights etc.It would be fantastic is this new forging is shorter!